Dragon Fable
by BlueRubyJune
Summary: When the two unpredictably meet it does not just change their fate, but also their destiny.
1. Chapter 1

**Dragon Fable**

1

Gorotsukiscurried through the bushes as quickly as her tiny feet could carry her. She tripped on a low branch and came crashing to the damp ground. She looked around catching her breath, still on the floor not moving at all, so tired.

Off a ways she heard branches cracking and her heart jumped. Gorotsukipainfullygot to her feet and started racing away again. Her village was only a mile away from the river where a wild Gorillaphant had attacked her, but it seemed like ten.

As she crashed through the undergrowth of the forest she could hear her enemy getting closer. Her body was sweaty and worn, but because she was so young she was able to get far enough without stopping. Her snow-white hair stuck to her face and brambles were scratching her pale skin, but she was so frightened she didn't notice. Suddenly she burst into a clearing and was stunned for a moment in the heat. She looked for any place to hide but all she saw was open space, some tall grass and some moldy logs. She headed for the other side where the forest grew thick again, but she soon found it was too far away to be reached before she was seen.

It was summer and dragonflies whipped through the air in a flash. The Gorillaphant stamped into the clearing just as Gorotsukipassed a patch of tall grass. The monster's rage took off again and it charged at the little girl.

All of the sudden someone jumped out of the foliage and faced her attacker. It was a young boy with jet-black hair and pale skin like her own that only looked to be a few years older than Gorotsuki. The Gorillaphant paused for a moment to comprehend the situation, then snorted and began to charge again.

The boy pulled out a short bladed dagger and met the beast in its gray, rough-skinned chest without making a sound. Gorotsuki gazed in astonishment as the boy pulled away his dagger, which was now covered with blood, and the opponent, letting out a cry of hurt and defeat, turned and ran away.

After the boy cleaned his dagger with a loose piece of cotton cloth and sheathed it again he turned to face Gorotsuki.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.  
"I'm fine," Gorotsuki replied. "Thank you so much." Gorotsuki bowed in respect.  
"No need to thank me, I was just on my way to the river to fish when I heard that Gorillaphant, it was just a baby one anyways, and although it could have done serious damage to you, it wasn't hard for me to scare it off. What is your name?" he questioned, only slightly letting himself ramble.  
"My name is Gorotsuki, but you can call me Tsuki. What is your name?" she said putting the event behind her.  
"My name is Shika, would you like to come to the river with me? After that I will escort you home safely." Shika humbly added.  
"I would be glad to." Tsuki replied happily.

The two children set off for the river, Tsuki feeling completely safe with her new friend, and Shika feeling completely happy.


	2. Chapter 2

2

_-Five years later-_

"Niechen?"  
"Yes Tsuki?"  
"Do remember when me met?"  
"Do I? You never stop talking about it, how it was destiny for me to rescue you from that baby Gorillaphant and become such good friends." He said laughing.  
"Hey don't make fun of me, I just wanted to know." She said cheerily.  
"I wasn't making fun of you." Shika said, playfully nudging Tsuki with his elbow, but because of their height difference he hit her in the lower shoulder.

As the two teens walked to the river by their village, they joked and talked with one another like they had since the day they met when Shika was eleven and Tsuki two years younger. When they reached the waterway Shika automatically waded in up to his waist, only wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts that had been raggedly cut to his knees. Shika was an expert fisher, he only used a dagger, and he had since he was young; but Tsuki insisted he used a net to carry the fish he caught, instead of his shirt.

Since it was summer Tsuki unbuckled her aged, powdery sandals and set them off to the side, dipping her dusty feet into the cool water. It was the beginning of the day, the sun was out high, the trees along the riverbank provided nice shade, and there was a slight breeze drifting through Tsuki's long snow-white hair that hung down to her back. As she watched Shika fishing she wondered to herself if she could ever be happier.

Shika wiped the sweat of his forehead and brushed back a few strands of loose jet-black hair. It wasn't that long but he pulled it back behind his head and put it in a ponytail, then began searching for fish in the silky water again.

Tsuki unwrinkled her white, shiny, knee-length skirt and pulled her sleek black tank top's lower edge farther over her stomach. She smiled and splashed her feet in the shallow water as she saw Shika catch another fish and put it in the net he held in his left hand. When he had caught enough fish to fill the small net he waded back to shore and plopped the net under the tree next to where Tsuki sat.

The silver and blue fish struggled as they flopped, panicky, on top of one another and slowly began to suffocate. Shika sat down in the sun next to Tsuki to dry off and pretended he was going to hug her.

"Hey! Don't you get me wet!" she laughed as she pushed him away.  
Also laughing Shika replied, "Don't worry, I was kidding." And pulled his hair out of the ponytail and shook his head like a dog. Tsuki laughed at his poofy hair and combed it flat again with her gentle fingers. He smiled at her and moved his bangs out of his faintly moist face. They talked more, joked, and ate lunch, never seeming to run out of things to say.

After Shika dried off, Tsuki rested her head next to the space between his chest and shoulder, sighing. The sky was growing darker now and Shika put his arms around Tsuki as he rested his own head on hers.

"Niechen?" Tsuki asked quietly, her voice distracting him with wonder ringing in it.  
"Yes Tsuki?" Shika replied, questioning.  
"Will you promise me something?" she whined soundly.  
"Anything if you make that face." Shika admitted, giggling, looking down at his friend. Tsuki laughed and continued to make an exaggerated pouting expression, looking up innocently at him with overly pleading eyes. She laughed quietly and just smiled.

"Will you promise to always protect, and stay with me?" she questioned calmly. Shika hugged her tightly.  
"Of course Tsuki, of course." They continued to sit together in silence as the sun slowly faded behind the trees at the opposite bank of the river.

Fireflies buzzed around the trees and over the water where a few fish remained out to jump and eat them. Tsuki grabbed for Shika's hand and held it there, from the day they met their biggest battle had been friendship, and they had both won.


	3. Chapter 3

Dragon Fable

3

_-Two weeks later-_

Gorotsuki and Shika were striding down the sandy trail to the river yet again. It seemed even though they both spent so much time in the sun their skin was still almost as white as Tsuki's snowy hair. Tsuki put her left arm on Shika's shoulder and sighed playfully. Shika giggled and pulled Tsuki by her waist into a hug.  
Tsuki laughed, "Ok, ok!" and he put her down, smiling.

When the two reached the river they got into routine, Shika stepping carefully into the river and Tsuki gently assembling herself on the dry, squishy riverbank. Suddenly Shika whipped around and stared into the trees from where they had just come.  
"What is it Niechen?" Tsuki asked, a feeling of alarm she treid to push away beginning to grow. Shika began to carefully walk towards the bank, gaining speed as he came. Tsuki, her heart now racing, rose to her feet now staring at the trees too. Then they heard it; there was a crash in the distance as a couple trees fell. Shika broke into a run and made it to the bank from the middle of the river in less than three seconds. With his onyx handled dagger in hand, he was at the edge of the forest just as the gigantic Gorillaphant was about to break through the border of trees out into the open.  
Tsuki screamed, "Niechen come back!" but he instead charged at the monster, which clearly wanted to harm any human in sight.  
As Shika was just about to drive his dagger into the creature's neck he yelled back, "I promised to protect you!" and then the blade sunk in.

But the Gorillaphant barely seemed to notice and just swung at Shika who was prepared and shot another blow at its stomach. As the two raged on Tsuki stood in the background of the fight not knowing what to do, she wanted to help somehow, but she was so weak and unknowledgeable in battle tactics that she was helpless. Shika fell to the harsh ground and speedily got to his feet. In that moment, bleeding from several gashes in his arms and chest, he looked at Tsuki with love in his eyes and a smile on his face, "I love you Tsuki!" he yelled to her, but it seemed like the whisper of a man about to die.

Tsuki began to cry and held out her hand like he would take it, although they were almost thirty feet away. All of the sudden Shika went flying backwards as the Gorillaphant's tusk came into contact with his chest and skull. They both were worn out, and when unconscious Shika landed with a splash in the strong current of the roaring river; the monster ran towards him still, blinded by rage.  
Tsuki ran after Shika. "Niechen!" she screamed. The current carried him away, but the Gorillaphant began to sink to the bottom, and because it could not swim, began to drown.

Bawling Gorotsuki only knew one thing to do, go get help from her village. She ran as fast as she could down the long, crunchy trail, but all she could think of was Shika, and that it was her fault he was in life-changing trouble.


End file.
